- Medical Academy at D.W. Waters
- Nursing Pathway
Programs at D.W. Waters
Page Navigation
-
Nursing Pathway
Students who choose the nursing pathway will be well-prepared for taking and passing the Certified Nursing Assistant exam upon their 18th birthdays, as well as entry into a 2-year college or 4-year university to further their studies. Due to the challenging nature of the nursing pathway and the number of science classes they will have taken, graduates of our program should feel confident applying to any healthcare or science-related program (including pre-med track) at any college or university.
Follow this link to find out more about Florida's CNA Exam: Florida Board of Nursing CNA by Examination
Career Options
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA): Students will be prepared to take this exam and enter this field immediately upon graduation from high school. Pay for CNAs averages $12 to $20 an hour or $28,000-34,000 salary per year. CNAs are employed by hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, home-care agencies, doctor's offices, and in many other locations. A CNA may work with children all the way up to elderly people and has direct patient contact throughout their day with many opportunities to help.
Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN): Students will be prepared to take the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) and enter this certificate program at a technical college. Salary for LPNs ranges from $36,000 to $55,000 per year ($18 to $30 per hour) with pay increasing as the nurse gains experience and learns new skills. LPNs are employed by hospitals, doctor's offices, nursing homes, dialysis centers, long-term acute care facilities, hospices, in-home care agencies, and many other locations across all fields of nursing. LPNs work with everyone from newborn babies to people in end-of-life care. To become an LPN, a student can expect to train for 15 additional months (3 semesters) after graduating from high school. At the conclusion of their training, the student will take the NCLEX-PN exam in order to become licensed to practice in Florida and other states.
Erwin Technical College Practical Nursing Program
Pasco-Hernando State College Practical Nursing
Registered Nurse, ASN (Associate's Degree in Nursing): Students will be prepared to take the TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) and enter an associate's degree program at any community college. A tremendous amount of job opportunities are available to RNs. Someone with an ASN will be qualified to perform all the same skills and care as someone with a BSN, including hanging blood products and pushing IV medications. AS RNs are found in all care and professional settings. Students can expect to spend about a year taking their nursing school prerequisites and then 4 semesters completing their nursing school coursework and clinical rotations. Upon graduation, students will be able to take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination) to gain licensure to practice in Florida and 40 other states and territories.
Hillsborough Community College Nursing AS
Pasco-Hernando State College Nursing Program (AS)
Polk State College AS in Nursing
State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota Nursing ASN
Registered Nurse, BSN (Bachelor's Degree in Nursing): Some RNs earn a 4-year bachelor's degree straight out of high school by attending a university such as University of Florida, University of South Florida, Florida State University, University of Tampa, or any one of a number of private or public universities. Many other BSNs begin with an ASN (2 years) then transition to their BSN through an online or in-person "bridge" program. In many employment situations, BSNs are the managers, the trainers, the people in charge. Nurses who work as patient educators, to help people understand their disease process, are usually BSNs. Some BSNs work from home to review insurance claims. A BSN can make anywhere from $30 to $60 an hour or more, with many hard-working and experienced BSNs making in excess of $100,000 a year.
University of South Florida Nursing
Florida A&M University Nursing
Florida State University Nursing
University of Central Florida Nursing
Florida Gulf Coast University Nursing
Bethune-Cookman University Nursing
Nurse Anesthetist, CRNA (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, APRN): Beginning in 2022, all nurse anesthetists are required to earn a doctoral degree, and will have the letters DNP or DNAP after their names. Nurse anesthetists are highly specialized in the areas of pain management and various forms of anesthesia. This career requires a lot of effort and training, however the rewards both personally and financially are significant.
How to Become a Nurse Anesthetist
Nurse Practitioner (Master's or Doctoral Degree in Nursing): A Nurse Practitioner is a nurse with advanced and specialized training who holds either a Master's degree or PhD in Nursing. In many states, NPs can operate their own medical practice, prescribe medications, deliver babies, diagnose and treat diseases, and perform minor surgeries. An NP will have earned their BSN and will be an RN, then will take additional exams and earn an additional degree or degrees. Nurse practitioners' salaries are similar to the salary which physicians (doctors) are paid.
